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ELECTRICAL TIME STAMP. a No. 380,595; Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

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- ELECTRICAL TIME STAMP. I

No. 380,595. PatentedA-pr 3, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. RANDALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL TlME-STAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,595, dated April 3,1888.

Application filed September '7, 1886. Renewed March 3, 1888. Serial No.266,107. (No model.)

of time-recording stamps in which the type wheels are rotated by electromechanical means; and the invention consists in the combinations ofdevices hereinafter specified in the claims In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a top view of a time-stamp embodying myimprovements, some of the parts being removed to better show thearrangement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the electro-magnets,armatures, impression-pad, and means for transmitting motion to thetype-wheels. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View of the various circuits,electro-magnets, clock, and circuit making and breaking devices on thetype-wheels.

Thereference-numeral 1 designates the frame or casing of a. time-stamp,which has rotary type-wheels bearing marks or characters indicatingtime, as in the stamp heretofore proposed by me. It is understood thatsuitable means are provided for inking these typeto illustrate all theparts which are common to the class of stamps to which my inventionbelongs.

The reference-numeral 2 designates the hourwheel, which has secured toit at one side a circuit-wheel, 3, provided with one contactpoint, 3*".Bearing upon this circuit-wheel is the contact-spring 5,which is soarranged that electrical contact is made between the contactspring 5 andthe metal point 3 of the wheel 3 Upon the opposite side of thehour-wheel 3 is secured a non-metallic pin, 4, a part of which slightlyprojects above the circumference of another circuit-wheel, 7, and passesin its revolution under the springcontact 6, lifting it at a certainposition from the circuit-wheel 7. The latter is provided with a singlecontact, 7, and is secured to the minute type-wheel, together with theescapement-wheel 8, and a second circuit-wheel, 9, having a springcontact, 10. wheel 9 is constructed so that contact between it and thecontact-spring 10 is maintained during fifty-nine sixtieths of arevolution, the contact being broken only one-sixtieth of a revolution.There are three positions of these circuit-wheels and contact-springsrelative to each other: first, 9 and 10 being closed fiftynine sixtiethsof a revolution, while 7 and 6 and 3 and 5 are broken; second, 9 and 10being broken and 7 and 6 closed; third, 9 and 10 being broken, 7 and 6being broken by the lifting of the spring 6 through the pin 4, and 3 and5 being closed. These three positions of the contact devices give threedistinct electric circuits within the machine in an automatic manner,and for convenience I will call them the minute-wheel circuit, thehour-wheel circuit, and the day-wheel circuit.

The operation and the circuits are as follows, viz: The minute-wheelcircuit being closed at twelve o clock noon,the circuit-wheel 9 andcontact-spring 10 are in contact, and the electric circuit is then (seediagram view) from the battery 11, wire 16 to the clock 12, and from thelatter to the electro-magnet 13, wire 14, spring 10, wheel 9, and shaft15 back to the battery. By means of a contact device and current-wheelon the clock-arbor, the electric current is caused to pass through theclock once per minute, and the electro-magnet is energized at eachimpulse and works the minute-wheel around step by step, the fifty-ninthmovement leaving the circuit-Wheels attached to the minute-wheel in theposition seen in Fig. 3that is, the contact-spring rests on theinsulated point 9 of the contact-wheel 9, and the spring 6 makes contactwith the metal contact-point 7 of the circuit-wheel 7, so that thecircuit will be broken between 9 and 10 and closed between 7 and 6. Thenext electrical impulse or current from the clock (the sixtieth) nowpasses over the wire 16, clock 12, magnet 13, wire 14, magnet 16, wire17, spring 6, circuit-wheel 7, and shaft 15 back to the battery, thusenergizing both electro-magnets 13 and 16, and working the hour-wheel 2one step, and also the minute-wheel the sixtieth step. In this mannerthe circuit is again closed at 9 and 10 and broken at 7 and 6 for Thecircuith fifty-nine minutes more,when the same operation is repeated,thus hourly moving the hourwheel, step by step, one step an hour. On thetwenty-third movement of the hour-wheel the insulating-pin 4 passesunder the spring 6 and raises it, so as to prevent contact between 7 and6 for a specified period, and at the same time the contact-point of thecircuit-wheel 3, attached to the hour-wheel, passes beneath thecontactspring 5, making electrical contact therewith, and this happensonly once in twenty-four-hours and only for one minute or thereabout.When the parts are in the position last mentioned, the circuit is fromthe battery 11, wire 16, clock 12, electro-magnet l3, (9 and 10 beingbroken,) wire 14, magnet 16, (7 and 6 being broken,) wire 18, magnet 19,wire 20, spring 5, circuit-wheel 3, and shaft 15 back to the battery,thereby energizing the electro-magnets 13, 16, and 19, when theday-wheel, the hour-wheel, and the minute-wheel are each moved one step,so that the minute-wheel is moved sixty times per hour, the hourwheelonce per hour, and the daywheel once per day by the direct action ofelectro-magnets automatically controlled by a circuit-closing clockattached to or in electrical connection with the time-recording stamp.

The minute, hour, and day wheels, combined with the electromagnets andcontact devices in the above-described manner, are mounted upon theshaft 15 so as to rotate thereon, and each wheel has an escapementratchet-wheel, 25, secured thereto. Feed dogs or pawls 26, carried bylever-extensions 27 of the armatures 28 of the three electro-magnets 13,16, and 19, serve to rotate the type-wheels periodically in the mannerand at the times heretofore set forth.

It should be observed that the pull upon the armatures of theelectromagnets is not the direct cause of the movement ofthetype-wheels, since it is the action of springs which effects therotation of the wheels, such provision being made by reason of thepresence in the stamp ofa noninterfering mechanism designed to preventthe possible detention of the typewheels by the act of printing. Intime-recording stamps as heretofore made this is a very great defect,and I overcome the same by the employment of a simple noninterferingmechanism,whereby the type-wheels are prevented from moving just at theinstant of taking the impression, thus insuring clear and distinctprinting and at the same time not detaining the type-wheels sufticientlylong to cause them to lose time or throw them out of unison with theclock-controller.

It will be observed that the electro-magnets 13 of the minute-wheel areenergized for an instant once a minute and that the function of suchmagnets is to set the dog or pawl 26 of said minute-wheel ready foraction and not to move the type-wheel by the pull of the electromagnetupon the armature. On the contrary, it is the spiral or other spring 30,connected with the armature lever and frame of the stamp, which servesto actuate the dog and move the type-wheels. It is apparent, therefore,that the electro-magnet can act and set the dog even though thetype-wheels are held by the impression-pad being upon the same, and theaction of the electro-magnet also serves to put tension upon thereturning-spring 30, which of course remains under tension until free toact. I therefore avail myself of this method of using the electro-magnetand spring and cause the latter to perform the work of turning thetype-wheel, since it may be kept under tension for nearly a fullminute,whereas the force of the magnet is only instantaneous.

In connection with the armature lever, spring, and ratchet'and-pawl feedmechanism I employ a simple locking device controlled by theimpression-lever,which acts to hold the escapement feed-lever while animpression is being taken, so that even though the electromagnet may beenergized just at the instant an impression is being taken there is nointerference, as the feed-lever is locked and can only move in onedirection when the impression-lever is away from the type-wheels. Thislocking device or non-interfering mechanism consists of two swingingarms, 40 and 41, of which the latter rests upon the escapementfeed-lever. The arm 40 carries a pin or stud, 43, under which passes theprojecting end of the impression-lever or a hooked piece or arm, 46,projecting from the same. The function of the pin 43 and arm 46 is toraise the arm 40 away from the arm 41, as the impressionlever moves awayfrom the type-wheels, and as the impression-lever descends the arm 40 isreleased from the hooked arm and rests upon the arm 41 at such an angleand in such relation to it as to lock the arm 41 against the feed-leverwhen the armature is attracted to the magnet and hold all locked untilthe impression-lever returns to place. In other words, the arm 46 beingrigid upon the impression-arm 45, it will be seen that the depression ofthe outer end of the latter will disengage the hooked end of the arm 46from the pin 43, thereby leaving the arm 40 resting upon the arm 41, thearm 41 resting upon the escapement feedlever. While in this position thearm 41, which is engaged with the end of arm 40, prevents action of theescapement feed-lever by bearing upon the latter until such time as therelease of the impression-lever 45 again throws the hooked end of thearm 46 under the pin 43 on the arm 40, and thereby raises thelocking-arm 4O far enough to release the end of arm 41 and allow thespring 30 to act upon the latter to actuate the escapement feed-leverafter the impression has been made. In such manner the electro magnet ispermitted to act and set the dog 26 and to place tension upon the springevery minute, no matter what may be the position of theimpression-lever, and at the same time the type-wheel is permitted toturn every minute by the action of the spring, and also insuring clearand distinct printing. I have shown the locking mechanism as ap pliedonly to the minute-wheel escapement feed-lever; but it is evident thatit must and can be applied to all of the feed-levers in somecircuit-controlling clock. It will also be understood that theelectro-magnets of the apparatus may be controlled by actually makingand breaking the circuit in other ways than shown, and also that all ofthe electro-magnets may be included in one continuous circuit, and byproper means automatically shunted out and into said circuit at propertimes without actually breaking the circuit, thus practically producingtwo or more circuits within the machine, and without departing from thespirit of my invention, and I therefore do not limit myself to thedevices as shown, nor to the actual making and breaking of each circuit.

I am aware of the existence of an electromechanical time-printing stampin which an electro-magnet, through the intervention of mechanicaldevices, is made to move the typewheel step by step by the direct actionof the current. As an electro-magnet is charged and discharged quickly,it is obvious that in the instrument above referred to all of the partsmust be in condition and position to move directly by the action of themagnet, and at the moment or instant of time that the magnet is charged,or otherwise the parts are not operated. If in such construction theimpression-pad happens to be upon the type-wheels at the instant themagnet is charged, the parts cannot move, and the instrument is thrownout of unison with the clock and is behind one minute, and this defectrenders the instrument useless for printing the correct time. In myinstrument, however, the electro-magnet and its armature andarmature-lever are always ready for action, and if the printing-pad isupon the type-wheels at the instant the magnet is charged the armature,armature-lever, and feed-dog may be operated and tension be put upon thespring without throwing the typewheels, and upon releasing thetypewheels by removing or liberating the printing-pad the tension of thespring will throw the typewheel and present the next figure thereon, andin such manner the printing-wheels are always made to move in time withthe clock, unless willfully held for one minute, which, of course, wouldbe abuse and not use of the instrument.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In anelectromechanical time-recording hand-stamp, the combination, with theelectromagnet, armature-lever, feed-pawl, and typewheel, of theimpression-lever, the swinging arms 40 and 41, pin43, and arm 46,substantially as described.

2. In an electro-mechanical time-recording hand-stamp, the combination,with the circuitcontrolling clock, the minute, hour, and daytype-wheels, and impression-lever, of the ci'r-.

cuit-wheels 9, 7, and 3, the insulating-pin 4, contact-springs 10, 6,and 5, independent electro magnets 13 16 19, armature-levers,ratchetwheels, feed-pawls, and retractile springs, substantially asdescribed.

3. In an electromechanical time-recording hand-stamp, the combination ofthe type wheel or wheels, electromechanical devices for actuating thesame, an impression-lever for taking an impression therefrom, and thenon-interfering or locking mechanism 40 41 43 46, controlled by theimpression-lever, as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, in an electromechanical time-printing stamp, oftype-wheels, an electro-magnet and its armature, means forintermittently operating the same, a feed-lever having a pawl and aretractile spring secured thereto, an impression lever and pad, and alocking mechanism controlled by the impression-lever for locking thefeed-lever and preventing the action of the retractile spring when theimpression -lever is depressed, all constructed and relativelyarrangedsubstantially as set forth, whereby the force of theelectromagnet places tension upon the retractile spring and the turningof the type-wheels is effected by the action of the spring when thefeed-lever is free to move, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. RANDALL.

Witnesses:

WM. J. CAHOONE, ARTHUR H. SMITH.

